Leadership can be lonely – it’s not a cliché. This is especially true if you are working in an isolated location, have few peers within your organization, or are a board chair facing governance issues. Sometimes you need an experienced colleague with whom to wrestle an internal dilemma or an external threat. Theater Leader is a safe and confidential place when you need one. We want you to succeed and can help get you there.

OUR MISSION:

To provide professional theater leaders and trustees with the tools needed to successfully engage with the myriad of challenges and barriers that are holding them back from achieving their best work. Our savvy and experienced counsel provides an efficient and effective resource for helping you to consider issues of leadership, governance, personnel, programming, growth, and self-care.

WHY ARE WE UNIQUE?

First, we avoid one particular “C”-word – Consulting. We believe that you know your organization best. We prefer to use Context and Counsel – and hopefully provide some useful solutions for you. Second, we work primarily through Video Conference. There is no reason to spend the money on travel and lodging when a series of thirty and sixty minute video conferences can address a concern. Of course, we are happy to spend in-person time with you and your organization as appropriate.

WHO SHOULD USE US?

Theater Leader is designed forartistic, managing, and executive directors – those who are the sole or co-leaders of their non-profit theaters – and for trustee presidents and chairs of the board.

WHEN and how to use us?

Whenever you feel that you need an outside eye and ear to provide context and counsel, we are an easy video connection away. Some of the possibilities are: idea clarifying, problem-solving, prioritizing, artistic/management relationships, board/executive relationships, programming and production modeling, professional development, mentoring, and organizational analysis. “Has anyone ever had this problem before?” Probably. If we can’t offer specific advice we will point you in the right direction, offer other resources to pursue, or connect you to another professional in our network.

How can I afford it?

Think of this cost as being very affordable professional development. Besides the fact that we have implemented a reasonable menu of fees for service that most any size organization can afford, we have learned that nagging issues and problems don’t go away on their own. The more immediate the attention that you can give something, the better the chances are that you’ll avoid more costly fixes later.

We’ve kind of seen it all.

Mark Cuddy, Principal, has spent forty years leading five non-profit theaters across the country, from California to Massachusetts, as either CEO or co-CEO since 1976. He has worked in large cities and small communities, and has encountered most every kind of artistic, financial, community, and governance issue.